KNLC-EM Culture
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Lance Logan King / General
Culture / Vision / Acts 1–2
Establishing Vision of KNLC-EM
A question must be asked as we begin the message. Why are we here? Are we here just to sit in this room every week, talk a little bit and then go home or are we here for something greater? I believe that we are here for a purpose. That purpose isn’t for me to bore you every week. Although, if you come for the wrong reasons, it will seem like that’s my goal. Our purpose for being here revolves around growth within the EM/Youth ministry.
To see Growth, we must have a vision for what growth looks like. We must have a vision for how to achieve that growth. We must take action to achieve the vision for the desired growth. After discussion with Ray and Dave last week, we have come up with a statement that reveals this vision for Korean New Life Church English Ministry
Our vision from God is prayerfully connect and empower people of every age, culture and nationality in Colorado Springs and around the world, to the power of the one true, Living God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) through Worship, Instruction of the Gospel, and Life Engagement.
Before we look more at the vision statement, I want to look at the foundation of the Church this morning. If we look at Acts Chapter 1 and 2, you will find the beginning of the church. How it was formed and how they connected to God. I believe this is the basis for this vision statement that we have. Let’s first look at Scripture and then come back to this vision. Starting in Acts 1:4 this is Jesus’s last moments before he returns to heaven.
Acts 1:4–11 (ESV)
And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me;for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Jesus gave two tasks for his disciples to do before he Ascended into heaven. First, he said that they needed to go to Jerusalem and wait. They needed to wait on the Holy Spirit. They needed the Holy Spirit to do the work that he had intended for them. They could not do this work without the Spirit. Notice... Jesus never said to do it on your own. He said to go and wait on the Holy Spirit.
Likewise, God has work for each one of us to do. He has specific work for each one of us in our lives. God has a mission and vision for you. Likewise, God has a collective mission for us as a group. The vision for your life is His vision for you. For you to be successful in God’s vision for your life and for us to be successful in God’s vision for the EM/Youth, we must have the Holy Spirit. We can’t do it on our own ability. Anything we do of our own ability brings glory to us but anything God does through us brings Glory to God.
Hear the difference in that. If I do something. Then I provide the power. I provide the resources. I provide the wisdom. Therefore, I receive the glory. That is not God’s vision. The reality is that to accomplish God’s vision, it is only through God’s power, God’s resources and God’s wisdom. We must consider ourselves no more than a resource, a tool or as Paul says in Romans, a vessel.
We will not achieve God’s vision for us unless we have the Holy Spirit at our backs. You will not fulfill God’s vision for your life the Spirit is the source of your power. Notice I keep saying God’s vision. We could potentially be successful to a degree with our own vision that’s not God’s vision. Maybe your vision is just to be here on Sunday morning to make mom and dad happy. You come, they are happy. vision success. But is that God’s desire when you come here on Sunday. To just be here.
There are many people in the world who are successful by worldly standards, but are not successful in God’s vision. While they live in their glory according to the world, they are miserable and sad. This is why we see Hollywood stars commit suicide. Because worldly success does not produce the joy that we receive in Christ. Jesus said he came so that we can have life more abundantly. But I have to align My vision with God’s vision.
The first command Jesus has is to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit to complete his vision. What is His vison? It looks different in how we are uniquely called, but we are to be His witnesses. As Jesus told the disciples, they are to tell others about Jesus. They are to tell their friends in Jerusalem. Their cousins in other parts of Judea. People they know that live further away in Samaria and people that they have never met around the world. Jesus gave them a mission. Jesus gave them purpose.
Likewise, God has given us a mission and a purpose. Our mission is to be a witness to our friends and family that live here in Colorado Springs. We are to be witnesses to family and friends that live in other parts of the state. We are to be witnesses to people in other states that are farther away and to people around the world.
This is a seemingly impossible task at first. To attempt this of our own accord would be impossible. To do this, we must do so using the power of the Holy Spirit. But how do we receive the power of the Holy Spirit? Let’s look at the disciples for an example.
Acts 1:12–14 ESV
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
The first thing we notice is that they were obedient to Jesus. They went back to Jerusalem and waited. Likewise, we must be obedient to God. We must do as God Commanded. If we do not obey God’s direction, how can we expect to receive the Holy Spirit.
The second thing to point out is who was obedient. The lists of people we see were Disciples, family and followers of Jesus. These were people that believed. Prior to the resurrection, Jesus’ brothers did not believe. Yet after seeing Jesus after the Resurrection, they believed.
Notice, they did not go back to Jerusalem and have some coffee at HeBrews. When they got back to Jerusalem they devoted themselves in prayer. Prayer is an essential element receiving the Holy Spirit.
What did they pray for? While it does not say specifically, there are a few things we can point to that we need to pray for as we wait on the Spirit. We pray for the forgiveness sins. We cannot receive the Spirit without repentance. We pray for wisdom from God. We pray for strength. The work that God has for us needs prayer. We need to pray that God will work and move in our group. Prayer for the Spirit to come upon us and give us the power to be His witnesses.
As we continue in prayer, we will receive the power of the spirit as they did in Acts 2.
Acts 2:1–11 (ESV)
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.
And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”
When we are obedient and believe and pray… God shows up. He may show up in some minor way. Or the Spirit may arrive in all fullness, like a mighty wind and fill us. Working in mighty ways that confound those around us.
What is most incredible about this to me in this passage is that God had assembled men from all over the world so that they could witness this event. Look at the list of places people were from. Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Libya, Cyrene, Rome, Cretans/Greece, and Arabia. I venture to say that this was the majority of the known world to a Israelite at the time. The reality is that the gospel that they were sharing was not just for the Israelites. But the whole world.
What that means for us is that the good news that we share every week is not meant for just us today. We live in a community with Koreans, English, Hispanic, Russian, Japanese, African, and many other cultures. Cultures from all over the world reside here. It is our job to connect them to the Gospel. We live in an age of technology that allows us to connect with people in almost every country around the world.
At school it is your responsibility to share Jesus with others. At work, it is your responsibility to share Jesus with others. We share Jesus with others not only through our words, but how we live and act. An easy way is to share Jesus is to invite them to join us. To come. Tell them that they don’t have to be Korean, or English to come hear the good news at our church. They just need to come. Be present.
In the next few verses Peter goes on to give a sermon. He shares with them the Good news of Jesus. He calls on them to Repent and be Baptized. That’s the mission here every week. We will share the good news of God’s love for us. This leads to a call to repent and be baptized. But I want to look at the end of Chapter 2 quickly.
Acts 2:42–47 (ESV)
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
In this we see what it takes to sustain our work. They did not just go home because it’s Sunday and the mission is over. They devoted themselves to 5 things, the Apostles teaching, fellowship, generosity, Glorifying God and Prayer.
They were committed to learning from the Apostles. They were committed to learning who God is. They were committed to learning God’s desire for their lives. They did not just show up and play on their phone, ignoring what God had to say. They were fully invested in what God wanted to show them.
They were committed to fellowship as will. What is fellowship? Fellowship is eating together. Playing games together. Living life together. We celebrate with each other; we struggle together and we mourn together. It is important that as Christians, we enjoy being around each other in good times and bad.
These early believers were devoted to Generosity. They helped each other survive. They helped each other, even if it meant giving up personal belongings. Don’t miss understand me, I am not telling anyone to go sell their stuff. But this is giving of tithes and offerings.
They were devoted to giving God the glory. They gave God the praise. They lifted their voices to honor God. They did not take credit for the work God was doing. They gave the credit to God.
Finally, they prayed together. They continued in prayer. Even though they had already received the Holy Spirit, and told other about Jesus, prayers did not stop. They continued praying. Praying for what God would have them do next. Prayer for courage. Prayer for healing. Prayer for wisdom. What we see as they did this day after day is that God continued to bless them. God continued to use them.
Let’s turn back to our vision statement.
Our vision from God is prayerfully connect and empower people of every culture and nationality in Colorado Springs to the power of the truth of the one true, Living God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) through Worship, Instruction of the Gospel, and life Engagement.
The first part of our vision is prayer. We will pray to understand God’s direction for the Youth/EM of the church. What is it that God wants us to do?
Our goal is to connect people to God the Father. To connect people to Jesus, who died on the cross for the sins of man. To connect to the Holy Spirit, who is our helper and source of power. Part of my goal personally is to help connect each one of you to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I hope to empower you
Next or vision is to empower people. To accomplish the vision, we need power. You need the power to tell others. You don’t have to know everything. But you need to know that the Holy Spirit is with you as you tell others.
Who do we share. Looking at the lists of people present on the day of Pentecost, we can share the Gospel with anyone who will listen. Your friends do not have to be Korean or Caucasian to come. Tell your friends and ask them to join us.
What will we tell people. We will share with people the truth of the one true living God.
How do we connect people to God? Through Worship. Worship is not only in song, but also in prayer. Our worship connects us to God.
We connect to God through Instruction. Instruction may be a sermon. Instruction may in the future be through a video or discussion. Instruction may be a one on one conversation with someone from here that you trust.
We connect to God through fellowship. Having relationships with each other is important. We need to talk with each other. Eat with each other. play games and enjoy being around each other.
We connect to God through our Generosity. Through the giving of Tithes and Offerings. Through giving of time to others in need.
We Connect to God through Prayer.